Jumpers...where am I going wrong?

[Bewildermum]

Every year I struggle with this (and I'm always cold).. I would just like a jumper that I can keep for more than one year that:

• Doesn't break out in bobbles within 5mins of wearing it (e.g. White Stuff)
• Washes perfectly time after time at normal machine wash (so should I look for cotton?)
• Is long enough to hide all of my tum and at least half my bum (I'm 5' 8")
• Isn't see-through or glittery or logo'd etc etc ...

...in a plain colour, maybe a boat/round/cowl neck.

Doesn't sound too outrageous but I always have trouble finding something. Any ideas gratefully received!

I could have written your post (I am 5'8" too). My jumpers bobble like mad / go out of shape / are generally relegated to home-only-can't-go-outside-the-house-in-them...apart from two I have bought from Hobbs and Whistles. I am slowly concluding that the way to get a good jumper is to spend £££. Hm.

I buy men's ones - and occasionally something plain from Toast when they have a very good sale. Acrylic bobbles enormously - but I had a Toast one that did it within about 5 minutes, and it went back. That was wool but it was funny wool.

Usually wool is the way to go. You just wash it on a cool cycle.

Also 5'8" with same problem and a horror of acrylic. I for a Boden cashmere jumper for my birthday (november) a couple of years ago and it is perfect! Gap lambswool not bad either.

any of these?

The Geelongora mix is lovely and has washed well so far (only 2).

Or Pure Cashmere also has other wool/mixes.

Don't you have to handwash cashmere?

I think you are going wrong in expecting to put a woolly in a normal ( 40C) long cyclle wash.

My machine has a wool or delicates wash. I'd never put a woolly in with a normal wash.

I wash all jumpers individually or with another one or tow.

Look in M&S, JLewis, etc etc.

I wasj cashmere in the machine but have a Miele which lets you choose at least 3 types of delicate/ silk/ wool washes.

Uniqlo has lovely soft lambswool jumpers with a round neck and I think are hip length here

Missbopeep you are probably right, I am a bit lazy (and sadly have a rubbish old washing machine!).

Abitcoldupnorth... lovely lovely things on that Celtic Sheepskin site...more £££ than I'd normally pay but perhaps a little investment is the way to go as Wigeon says. On the other hand, Silversixpence I'm liking the uniqlo prices - is their quality good then? Have not bought from them before.

What's the Uniqlo Merino Fine Knitwear like?

I couldn't buy a dryclean because I know for a fact that it'll fester in the laundry pile.
But if it was handwash, I can put it in a bag and my lovely Bosch (sits next to BoPeep on puffed up bench) will look after it, with it's poncey clothes gentle selection (and Woolite)

I have a couple of uniqlo merino sweaters and they seem to be washing and wearing reasonably well. Although I always do them on a wool wash or hand wash them. Agree with others that the way to get wool to last is to hand wash it. Brora cashmere and other bits I have that I hand wash last for literally years and years.

What's the shape like on the Uniqlo ones? I'm an hourglass and look like a brick if I wear anything boxy.
I quite like the look of the grey dress in the Celtic site - reasonay priced for wool as well.

My M&S cashmere jumpers that I bought last year are still looking good. I was carefully though. Use a wool detergent, wool cycle on my machine and dry flat. Think there's 20% off M&S cashmere at the moment too.

ted baker - lovely, warm, stylish and cheap if you buy second hand from ebay - though i hand wash them, don't really want to risk the machine

This sort of thing?

Shotgun they aren't totally fitted, but soft enough that they drape nicely over my shape (am also an hourglass) and don't look boxy on me.

I don't rate M&S cashmere, but maybe I've been unlucky. Seems to bobble v quickly if you ever wear a coat or anything over it.

Still on a mission for lazy easy washing....last night I bought this one in cotton:

www.esprit.co.uk/en-GB/women/all_brands/CLOTHES/jumpers/jumpers_plain/092CC1I013_628

..which I thought may look a bit more interesting when combined with one of those snoody things. Would still prefer something longer though to wear over skinnies and minis, so may give uniqlo a go (but also look terrible in oversized boxy things).

(Thing is, I do have a couple of really very old knits that still look great after years - problem is that although the knits still look good, the labels are washed blank, so I can't tell what they're made of! Probably some kind of cottoney mix though.)

I think there are some nice jumpers in Aubin & Wills, Whistles and /hush this year. Not cheap though.

I can't say how good in terms of quality they are though - the fecking moths get my knitwear before it has a chance to bobble

oh and I saw a nice grey jumper in French Connection too - possibly too boxy for you though.

Merino wool doesn't really bobble & stays looking great for a long time. There is lots of it about these days too and for good reason. It's tough, soft and hard wearing - looks great too.

Avoid lambswool and acrylic at all costs. Will look shite within hours.

Hand wash, or wool wash cycle with proper wool wash detergent, makes all the difference.

My uniqlo lambs wool one is bobbling but I still love it!

Am same height as you - just bought this in 3 colours (not the mustard), lovely quality & length, great fit (I bought the Small, am size 10 -12). I did have the 25% off code, so seemed worth it. I have bought a number of cardis and jumpers from here, you have to choose carefully as much (or most) of their things are frumpy. Am planning to wear with a vest & nice long scarf, skinnies & chunky boots (the v is very deep, needs something underneath).

[[http://www.landsend.co.uk/Women%27s-Merino-Plain-Deep-Scoopneck/P_23668,en_GB,pd.html?cgid=5728 Lands End Merino Jumper]

whoops
Lands End Merino Jumper

I usually buy mine from Gap, when they have some that are long enough (I'm tall too). They wash really well.

The hush Henley jumpers in cotton/cashmere mix wash really well.I have 2 Henley dresses from last year that have accidentally been tipped in with my normal dark wash several times.But i normally buy cashmere in the sales often from TK Maxx and machine wash it.Then tumble dry it for 5 minutes and hang it up.It really does work but requires some bravery initially.However cashmere does bobble but is the only fabric that doesn't itch me.Woolovers have lots of jumpers and might be worth a try.I havn't actually ordered from there yet but some MN'ers have and reported back favourably.